Hello and welcome to the final installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2026 MLB season.
If your fantasy league is still playing this week, then every inning matters. You know where you stand in each and every category, and grinding out every additional win or strikeout could be the difference between winning and losing at this stage. The pickups that are made this week could be what sets you apart from your competition.
This is a living document, so we’ll update the options below as the weekend moves along.
Before we get into it, we’ll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week. With teams setting their rotations for the postseason, there are also pitchers who may be held back from making their projected second start, which is definitely something to keep in mind.
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The Dodgers continue to roll with a six-man rotation and will also be interested in setting up their rotation for the postseason, so with only six games on the schedule it’s highly unlikely that any of their starters are going to pitch twice. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the ball on Monday and it’s possible that he may get an inning or two on Sunday if someone else (Blake Snell maybe) gets skipped during the week, but he should be locked into lineups regardless of whether it’s one start or two, so there’s no actionable takeaways there.
The Brewers have also been utilizing a six-man rotation for most of the second half and with six games on their docket, it’s unlikely that any of their starters get a two-start week. Jacob Misiorowski is scheduled to start on Monday against the Phillies and it’s possible he could throw a few innings on Sunday as well if the Brewers want him to get the work in. He’s in all fantasy lineups no matter what though, so that wouldn’t change anything.
The Twins have been utilizing a six-man alignment as well down the stretch, so with six games on their schedule that means that everyone will just take the ball once. Bailey Ober is pitching on Monday and would be the beneficiary if any of their other starters were to get skipped during the week, but as of now that seems unlikely. He would make for a decent streaming option though with matchups against the Giants in San Francisco and against the Rangers at home.
The Mets are also rolling with a six-man rotation to end the season, so there are no two-start pitchers there either. Sean Manaea pitches on Tuesday (at Rangers) and could conceivably pitch on Sunday as well (at Nationals) if anyone gets skipped during the week. We’ll update here if anything happens to change.
Someone on the Yankees is likely to make two starts next week, we just aren’t sure whether it’ll be Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon. Both are scheduled to pitch in Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Rays and both would be on regular rest for the regular season finale against the Orioles on Sunday. It’s also possible that the Yankees mix in a bullpen game there and no one winds up with the two-start week. If we gain any clarity from Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone over the weekend, we’ll update here.
Very similar to the Yankees’ situation, we don’t have a clear picture on what the Rays will do with their rotation next week. It looks like Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen are lined up for the two games of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Yankees. One of them could end up pitching again on Sunday and give them a two-start week, but that’ll all depend on how the club plans to structure its rotation for the postseason. Rasmussen should be locked into lineups regardless and Martinez is still a decent option even if it’s just a single-start week.
The Blue Jays’ rotation is extremely short-handed at the moment, leading to much uncertainty on what they will do over the final week of the season. My best guess would be another bullpen day on Monday, and then if the team is still in the mix for a wild card on Sunday, you could see Max Scherzer draw a second start for the week. It’s a gamble for sure if you want to chance that he makes two starts, but it’s one that could wind up paying off.
The Nationals also plan to utilize a six-man rotation over the final week of the season, so none of their underwhelming options are going to wind up making two starts. Unless it was Cade Cavalli though, fantasy managers shouldn’t have interest anyways.
Going Twice…
Note: Probable pitchers as of September 18 and are subject to change.
American League
▶ Strong Plays
Logan Gilbert, Mariners, RHP (vs. Astros, vs. Angels)
While it has been a disappointing season overall for the Mariners in 2026, Gilbert has certainly done his job, posting a 3.69 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 194/46 K/BB ratio over 178 innings through his first 30 starts. That’s right in line with what expectations were for the right-hander coming into the season. He’ll look to finish the year strong with a pair of home matchups against familiar divisional foes that he has had all sorts of success against. In a week where the quality two-start options are quite limited, Gilbert represents one of the best overall plays on the board.
Drew Anderson, Tigers, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Pirates)
Drew Anderson has pitched very well since joining the Tigers’ rotation in early August, registering a 2.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 31/19 K/BB ratio over 38 1/3 innings. He draws a pair of really nice matchups to finish the season with both starts coming in the spacious confines of Comerica Park. I know that he’s hard to trust given the limited track record stateside, but Anderson actually makes for a very strong play this week and is someone that I’d start in all formats.
Jake Bennett, Red Sox, LHP (vs. Guardians, vs. Cubs)
Bennett has done a really nice job in his rookie campaign for the Red Sox, compiling a 3.78 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 90/20 K/BB ratio across 109 2/3 innings in his 19 starts. His performance has dropped off considerably in the second half though as he seems to be hitting a bit of a wall from a workload perspective. Since July 22 he holds a 5.14 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP over 56 frames. What has still been there is the strikeouts. He has punched out six or more batters in five of his last six starts. If you’re able to absorb the ratio risk and need to make up ground in strikeouts, he’s a strong option this week.
▶ Decent Plays
Cristian Javier, Astros, RHP (at Mariners, at Athletics)
As you can expect after such a long layoff, we have seen plenty of inconsistency in Javier’s performance this season. He appears to have shaken off the rust though and is rounding into form now. Over his last three starts, the 29-year-old hurler holds a 2.20 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and a 15/7 K/BB ratio over 16 1/3 innings of work. That’s enough for me to give him a shot in a two-start week against two familiar divisional foes. Having to pitch at Sutter Health Park to finish the week isn’t ideal, but the A’s offense is limping to the finish line and there aren’t any left-handed bats there that we should be worried about. I’d feel comfortable streaming him in all league sizes.
Daniel Lynch IV, Royals, LHP (vs. White Sox, vs. Guardians)
Lynch has struggled with the transition back to being a full-time starter after spending most of the season in the bullpen. In his first eight starts he holds an uninspiring 5.28 ERA and a 17/11 K/BB ratio over 30 2/3 innings. That’s not helpful at all for fantasy purposes. He has pitched better lately though, allowing just two runs over 10 innings in his last two starts while notching victories in both of them. He gets the opportunity to play spoiler against a pair of divisional rivals this week and the added intensity of those games should lead to quality results. I’d definitely be streaming him in 15-teamers and I may even take the plunge in 12’s if I needed another viable arm.
Shane Baz, Orioles, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, at Yankees)
Baz’s first season with the Orioles can definitely be characterized as a disappointment. He enters the final week of the season with an atrocious 6-15 record, 4.11 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP over 173 innings with just 152 strikeouts along the way. He has been way more hurtful than helpful for fantasy purposes. You should expect more of the same over his final two starts. He could give you 8-10 strikeouts with a chance at a victory, but it’ll likely come at the expense of a poor WHIP and an ERA that isn’t going to be helpful. If that still sounds appealing to you, go ahead and roll the dice.
MacKenzie Gore, Rangers, LHP (vs. Mets, at Twins)
Gore has had another extremely inconsistent season, leading to a disappointing 4.67 ERA, 1.3 WHIP and a 172/69 K/BB ratio over 165 2/3 innings in 32 starts. Even the strikeouts have disappeared lately, with just three in total over 11 innings in his last three starts. It’s possible that the dropoff in production has been due to the heavy workload, in which case, there’s no real reason to expect him to bounce back in a two-start week here. The matchups are good though and in some leagues the 6-8 strikeouts that he’s able to provide here could wind up being the difference at the end of the season.
▶ At Your Own Risk
Foster Griffin, Guardians, LHP (at Red Sox, at Royals)
While Griffin has been a breakout star in 2026 and one of the best waiver wire finds of the season, he has not been the same pitcher since joining the Guardians at the trade deadline and shouldn’t be blindly started in the final week of the season. Over eight starts since the trade he holds a miserable 5.79 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and a 35/15 K/BB ratio across 37 1/3 innings of work. It’s possible that he fixes whatever has been ailing him and gets back on track this week, but the more likely scenario is continued ratio damage. Perhaps the strikeouts and the shot at a victory are worth the trade off, but think twice before locking him into lineups this week.
Yusei Kikuchi, Angels, LHP (at Athletics, at Mariners)
Kikuchi has had a rough season overall, registering a 5.02 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 57 1/3 innings through his first 12 starts sandwiched around a trip to the injured list. He has also notched just one victory on the year. His performance has been slightly improved since returning from the injured list and he’ll try to finish the season on a high note against two divisional foes. I’m not thrilled about the prospects of using him at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, as his long balls woes could lead to a disastrous outing there. I’d only start Kikuchi if I was desperate to make up ground in strikeouts and could afford the hit to my ratios.
Anthony Kay, White Sox, LHP (at Royals, vs. Rockies)
On the surface, a pair of matchups at the Royals and against the Rockies would normally make anyone a strong streaming candidate – especially in the final week of the season. There are some serious red flags to consider here though. Kay has really struggled down the stretch, with a 7.06 ERA over 21 2/3 innings in his last five starts. He also hasn’t completed five innings in any of those outings, and with there being a strong chance that the White Sox will need Sunday’s game to keep their playoff hopes alive, they won’t hesitate to go to the bullpen in that one either. He’s an extremely volatile play this week. He could wind up delivering eight strikeouts and a victory with solid ratios. He could wind up giving you six innings total with three strikeouts and awful ratios. It’s up to your risk tolerance whether you want to take the chance or not.
Brady Basso, Athletics, LHP (vs. Angels, vs. Astros)
Basso has been transitioning to the Athletics’ starting rotation down the stretch, but he has yet to work deeper than four innings in any game so far and is very unlikely to pitch deep enough to earn a victory in either of these starts. The overall results on the season have been mediocre at best and his limited strikeout ability isn’t attractive for streaming purposes. Unless your ratios can’t be impacted by poor performance and you’re desperate for a live body to try to pick up a couple of strikeouts, Basso is best left on the waiver wire.
National League
▶ Strong Plays
Jared Jones, Pirates, RHP (vs. Cardinals, at Tigers)
After shaking off a bit of rust in his return from the injured list, Jones has been terrific for the Pirates and for fantasy managers. Over his last 13 starts, he holds a 3.56 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and an 84/22 K/BB ratio over 65 2/3 innings – and that includes an eight-run debacle against the Mets. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of those 12 other starts. He gets a nice draw for the final week and represents one of the stronger overall options on the board. He should be started in all leagues without question.
Zack Wheeler, Phillies, RHP (vs. Brewers, vs. Rays)
Wheeler is tentatively lined up to start twice next week, though if seeding for the Wild Card is already decided by Sunday, it’s very likely that he’ll get skipped or work in a very limited capacity as the Phillies structure their rotation how they want to for the postseason. That means it’s probable that he’ll only get a single start against the Brewers this week. He’s a strong option and should be started for fantasy leagues regardless, just be aware that he’s probably not going to end up making two starts.
Kevin Gausman, Cubs, RHP (vs. Marlins, at Red Sox)
The Cubs may wind up needing Sunday’s game for seeding purposes, but they’ll have already clinched a postseason berth and will want to align their rotation for the Wild Card series, so it’s possible that Gausman doesn’t wind up making that second start or is limited if he does. He’s still a quality option for the week as he starts off with a strong matchup at home against the Marlins and would be in most fantasy lineups regardless. Just understand that he may not end up making two starts.
▶ Decent Plays
Michael Soroka, Diamondbacks, RHP (at Rockies, at Padres)
If anyone is going to make two starts for the Diamondbacks in the final week of the season, it looks like it’s going to be Soroka. It’s not an easy draw though, as he has to battle the Rockies at Coors Field to start the week before finishing up with the Padres in San Diego. He has pitched well overall on the season and is coming off of a strong start against the Marlins his last time out. You can’t count on the ratios being as strong as they have been given the matchups, but the strikeouts and chances of earning a victory are still there. He makes for a solid streaming option in the season’s final week.
Robbie Ray, Padres, LHP (at Dodgers, vs. Diamondbacks)
As of now, Ray is lined up to make two starts next week, though his availability on Sunday will ultimately be determined by how the Padres choose to line up their rotation for the Wild Card series. Meaning he may end up with just a one-start week against the Dodgers in Los Angeles which is far from ideal. He’s probably still worth using, just understand that he probably doesn’t get two starts and his overall ceiling for the week is greatly diminished.
Andre Pallante, Cardinals, RHP (at Pirates, vs. Brewers)
To the shock and dismay of most fantasy prognosticators, Pallante has actually had himself a nice season in the Cardinals’ rotation, posting a 3.70 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 104/47 K/BB ratio over 151 innings while picking up 12 victories. He’s coming off of a brutal start against the Giants though where he was rocked for six runs on eight hits over his five frames. The matchup against the Pirates to start the week looks strong and he could be facing a Brewers’ squad missing most of its regulars on the final day of the season. As long as you keep your expectations in check, he’s a fine streaming option.
Janson Junk, Marlins, RHP (at Cubs, vs. Braves)
Junk has done a nice job logging innings for the Marlins this season, but he hasn’t been very helpful for fantasy purposes, registering a mediocre 4.50 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 78/31 K/BB ratio over 114 innings of work. He now has to finish the season battling two of the stronger offenses in the National League, which is most definitely not a recipe for success. He’s also not a big strikeout guy, so if you’re trying to climb in that category, there are probably better options on the board for the ratio hit you could take here. He has a higher floor than most doubles available on the waiver wire if you just need a handful of strikeouts and an outside shot at a win.
Blade Tidwell, Giants, RHP (vs. Twins, vs. Dodgers)
Tidwell has made 16 appearances (eight starts) for the Giants this season, logging a 4.56 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and a 42/21 K/BB ratio over 53 1/3 innings. What he has on his side this week is the strong likelihood that he’ll actually make two starts, and the second one against the Dodgers could come against a bunch of backups on the final day of the season. If you need seven strikeouts, decent ratios and an outside shot at a win, he’s probably worth a shot in deeper mixed and NL-only formats.
▶ At Your Own Risk
Andrew Abbott, Reds, LHP (at Braves, at Blue Jays)
Abbott has really struggled down the stretch for the Reds, compiling a 9.15 ERA over 19 2/3 innings in his last five starts. When he’s on his game, he is able to pile up strikeouts and is a threat to win, but he has not been in that form consistently in quite some time. The matchups are also tough, batting two potential playoff teams on the road. Once again, if your only concern is strikeouts and wins and you are alright taking on the ratio risk, you can fire away. If you care about your ratios at all though, I’d sit this one out.
JR Ritchie, Braves, RHP (vs. Reds, at Marlins)
With AJ Smith-Shawver getting moved back to the bullpen, it looks like JR Ritchie gets an opportunity to close out the season in the Braves’ rotation. His first start back did not go well, giving up six runs over 4 2/3 innings against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The matchups are a bit better this week, but it’s not enough to trust him if you still have to protect your ratios. If all you’re trying to do is gain ground in wins and strikeouts and you need the volume, go ahead.
Mason Adams, Rockies, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, at White Sox)
Never Rockies. There’s just no reason to do it, especially in a split week. Adams also hasn’t pitched well this season, posting a 5.09 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over 23 innings in his five starts. The only part that’s mildly appealing is the 23 punchouts. If you are unable to gain or lose ground in ratios and only care about moving up in strikeouts and wins (unlikely here), then you could look to him as a streaming option.
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